A lewd woman....

[Mosaic]

In the 1830s, what did a woman have to actually do to be imprisoned for being 'lewd'? I mean, was it something really horrific, or was it showing a finely-turned ankle?

[dotty.]

well in Quarter Session Order Books there are references to the crime of 'Lewdness' leading to the birth of a bastard child who was a burden on the parish.

[dotty.]

so it was abit more than 'showing a finely-turned ankle' but less than prostitution

[Mosaic]

But was that the only cause for a woman to be imprisoned for lewdness?
And - is it that they didn't know / were somehow prevented from naming the father - enough men were had up for fathering bastards at the time, so there was clearly a means of naming and shaming....
So what I'm trying to fathom is whether women's behaviour other than having babies was 'policed' - was cheerful promiscuity likely to get you in jail? Or swearing loudly? Or dressing like a tart?

[cazzz1975]

I browsed through the pub blacklists in birmingham and I was quite surprised to see how common prostitution was!

http://www.birmingham...louts-97319-26121071/

[cazzz1975]

sorry mosaic, that was slightly off topic

[dotty.]

Lewdness or Lewd women or Lewd behavior as recorded in the Quarter Session orders does seem to be linked to the activities of houses of disprepute and ladies of the night. Bawdy houses etc.

[cazzz1975]

there is an article charting women in the 1800's

http://www.historyofwomen.org/pros.html

[dotty.]

the women were incarcerated or removed from the Parish, especially if they did not have settlement rights and were convicted of that type of offence. they would be removed to their home parish, where they would probably be examined by the parish constable as to their means and possibly locked up as a vagrant, harsh life

[Mosaic]

Cazz - fascinating insights and a really good online resource from Birmingham. Both of you seem to be indicating that 'lewdness' is something a woman from the rough end of society was accused of......I've not come across any posh tarts or madams coming before the bench (if you'll pardon....)
So, one of the discoveries I made between yesterday eveninig and this mornng is that lewdness was a more ancient law, but that it seems to be taken by the 19th century as the slightly more defined misdemeanor of 'outraging public decency' - lewdness for shorthand. Part of this included a need for the act to have been witnessed by two or more people, who were offended by it.
So whatever these ladies were doing, it seems to have been in 'public' - I suppose anywhere outdoors - as opposed to behind closed doors.
I think there's still a lot to unpick here - thanks for your insights!